Ventilated boot and shoe.



G. VALIANT.

VENTILATED BOOT AND SHOE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17. 1905.

1 05,674, 7 Patented Oct. 10, 1911.

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAFH IO-,WASNINGTON, l1. c4

UNITED STAS TET OFFIG GEORGE VALIANT, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

VENTILATED BOOT AND SHOE.

Application filed June 17, 1905.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE VALIANT, of the city of Toronto, in thecounty of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have inventedcertain new and useful Improve ments in Ventilated Boots and Shoes, ofwhich the following is the specification.

My invention relates to improvements in ventilated boots and shoes andthe object of the invention is to devise a simple, cheap and eflicientmeans for ventilating a shoe, whereby the imperfections heretoforecomprised in all other methods of ventilating boots and shoes, namelythe subsidence and choking of the ventilating channels through pressureof the foot and the weakening of the insoles where the channels are cut,are entirely avoided.

It consists essentially of an insole having a longitudinal aperture cutout of the same, and an air duct located in the aperture and extendingthroughout its length.

In lasting a shoe the upper when turned over the insole forms a ridgearound the insole thus creating a longitudinal depression in the centerthereof, varying in depth in different methods of shoemaking, and myventilating duct as hereinafter described when inserted in the aperturein the insole is designed to lie flush with the upper surface of thesame, and extends through to a line across this ridge forming at sametime a portion of the filler, leaving depressions on each side of theduct which are filled in with the filler which is ordinarily used tofill the larger single depression above referred to.

Figure 1, is a sectional perspective view of a boot showing my improvedmethod of ventilation. Fig. 2, is a cross section of same. Fig. 3, is anenlarged cross sectional view of the air duct. Fig. 4, is a perspectivedetail of the insole showing the aperture cut therein to receive thesupporting airduct. Fig. 5, is a perspective detail of my method ofproviding supporting air-duct. Fig. 6, is an interior view of theair-duct.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding partsin each figure.

A is the upper, B the outer sole, O the heel and D the insole, which isprovided with a longitudinal aperture D cut out of it preferably fromthe heel to a point in proximity with the toe and running substantiallymidway of the insole.

I do not wish to'confine myself to the exact location or length ofaperture or the number Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1911.

Serial No. 265,737.

of apertures cut in the insole, but whatever the number may be they willbe provided with a supporting air duct or ducts prefer ably of the formof a molded duct which I shall now describe.

D is a filling forming a ventilating duct (Z and formed preferably ofrubber or other suitable material, the bottom being prefer-- ablyarc-shaped in cross section and the top preferably rectangular in crosssection and adapted to fit the longitudinal aperture in the insole. Thebottom of the duct depends below the lower surface of the insole formmga portion of the filler, such depending portion of the duct varying inthickness according as the insole in which it is inserted is thick orthin. The filling around the duct varies proportionately. The fillingforming the duct has laterally extending flanges D as indicated, suchflanges extending longitudinally from end to end of the duct and beingdesigned to form a shoulder to support and unite the divided edges ofthe insole which form the aperture. The flanges preferably extendlaterally underneath the insole. D is the central channel of the ductand D are perforations extending down into the central channel from thetop, such perforations communicating with the main body of the channeland the notches D formed in the sides of the channel. The fillingforming the duct is preferably provided with a fabric covering D", whichit will be noted extends to the outside of the flanges on both sidespractically forming the flanges. The air duct D formed as described isdesigned to supply a durable and strong foot supporting surface over theair channel a result which is not attainable by any other constructionin which the insole or outsole forms the top and bottom of the channel,and consequently there is no liability in my invention of any subsidenceor compression of the channel, which in other constructions isfrequently occasioned by pressure and moisture. The perforations arepreferably arranged to alternate in the sides of the channel leaving thecenter free from perforation and liability to stoppage through anyseparate perforation becoming plugged, the edge or wall of the notches Dsupporting the top around the perforations. It will thus be seen that avery strong and durable duct is provided in the insole in which therewill be no danger of subsidence or displacement.

I am aware of the various means adopted for securing ventilation inshoes which are usually by means of channels cut in the insoles, wire orother ducts inserted in channels between the soles and the insertion ofsole separating devices, in all of which methods the air space ispractically limited in depth to the substance of an insole thus making agreater .width of duct necessary to secure suilicient ventilation, andby this increased width, correspondingly increasing the liability of theduct to subsidence and stoppage from foot pressure.

By reference to the drawings it will be seen that in my invention, I amenabled to narrow the width of the interior of the air duct byincreasing its depth, which is only limited by the space between theupper surface of the insole and the inner surface of the outer sole, andthereby produce an. air channel that is suthcient in capacity and at thesame time proof against subsidence and stoppage from foot-pressure. Theduct is connected with the outer air preferably at the heel seat, thusforming a channel that can be readily cleaned by the use of a smallinstrument for that purpose. The bottom of the duct being withoutperforations renders accidental choking of the air-duct in the processof shoe-manufacture and in wear, practically impossible, and furthermakes the shoe waterproof from the outersole side even when the outersole is worn through, neither of which advantages, to the best of myknowledge accrue from any other method of ventilating shoes. The ductbeing complete in itself avoids the necessity for perforating the insoleand minimizes the other extra work usually involved in the production ofa ventilated shoe as compared with that of an unventilated shoe.

Although I describe my ventilating duct as being a molded duct it willof course be understood that the manner of making the duct may bechanged without departing from the spirit of my invention. I may alsomention that the portion of the duct depending below the lower surfaceof the insole may be laterally extended or widened so as to dispensewith, or form the flaps or flanges and thereby forming a substitute forthe same without departing from my invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. As an article of manufacture a ventilating section of an insoleprovided. with perforations in its upper surface and having flangesextending laterally and longitudinally from the body thereof as and forthe purpose specified.

2. In a ventilated shoe, the combination with the insole having anaperture cut through from face to face, of a ventilating sectiondesigned to unite the opposite edges of such aperture and provided withperforations in its upper surface, and having lateral and longitudinalattaching flanges as and for the purpose specified.

8. In a ventilated shoe, the combination with the insole having anaperture cut through from face to face, of a ventilating sectiondesigned to unite the opposite edges of such aperture and to extend fromthe upper surface of the insole through and below its lower surface andprovided with attaching flanges as specified.

4. As an article of manufacture a sectional ventilating insolecomprising a plurality of members, a central portion provided with alongitudinal ventilating tube and attaching margin and an outer or surrounding portion designed to fit and attach to said central portion asand for the purpose specified.

GEORGE VALIANT.

Witnesses P. P. TYEL, E. M. SHEPPARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of I'atents, Washington, D. C.

